Bill Kenwright Interview

Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright spoke candidly to the media following the Blues’ 2-1 win over Wolves on Saturday and addressed several issues currently surrounding the Football Club.

As ever the Toffees owner was there to watch the team in action and afterwards talked to the assembled media, including Radio Five Live, national press, BBC Radio Merseyside and evertontv.

Mr Kenwright revealed:

- Funds will be available to Manager David Moyes in the January transfer window.

- Three or four parties are currently showing an interest in buying the Club.

- That he understands the motives of the protestors who marched ahead of the Wolves game but not their actions.

- And just how proud he is in a week where three Blues represented England, Marouane Fellaini signed a new five-year deal and Everton in the Community’s pioneering plans to open a Free School got the green light.

With regard to January and the possibility of recruiting fresh talent, Mr Kenwright said he had already discussed potential targets with his manager.

He said: “We are talking about January and there will not be a lot of money compared to what other clubs are spending on centre forwards, but there will be money – there will be investment in January.”

Aside from the immediate future, Mr Kenwright has made no secret of his desire to relinquish control at Goodison, as soon as the ‘right’ buyer is found.

He reiterated this aim again after watching goals from England stars Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines defeat Wolves, but warned that the process will take time.

“We are constantly linked by the media and that is because we are constantly out there and have been for three years,” he added. “There are normally three or four interested parties and, indeed, there are three or four interested parties at the moment.

“But what you tend to find with interested parties for this kind of deal is that it takes time. The airwaves are very hot and then suddenly nothing happens for a long time because things like proof of funds and due diligence have to take place and we have not even got to that stage yet. You hear on the rumour mill that there are people in Everton doing due diligence but they certainly aren’t.

“But there are people out there at the moment and I hope that will result in real serious investment in the Club because that is what the Club needs. Forget the Chairman – that is what the fan sitting in the Chairman’s seat wants.”

The search for new investment is among the concerns raised by those supporters who protested outside Goodison on Saturday.

Merseyside Police confirmed that 250-350 fans took part in a march in the vicinity of the stadium prior to kick off and Mr Kenwright, who earlier this year met with the men behind the group, added: “Everyone has a right to protest if they want to protest.

“There is no bigger Everton fan than me and when I met some of these gentleman I said ‘what do you want, what are you protesting for?’

“And basically they want an owner with much more money than the three major shareholders here and I absolutely support them on that as that is exactly what I want and exactly what I spend most of my life working on.”

Victory over Wolves brought an end to an eventful but ultimately successful week for the Club. From international breakthroughs to new contracts and landmark days for the Blues’ philanthropic arm, there has been plenty of welcome positivity.

And Mr Kenwright added: “I think the disappointment about the events outside Goodison was heightened because it has been an extraordinary week for Everton.

“Everton is much more than a football club – it is a huge family. People will laugh at me for saying that, but it is.

“This week, for that family to once again get the Community Award (at the North West Football Awards), to get for the first time in Premier League history a Free School devoted to Everton where we can start an education process via Everton…

“To have Jack Rodwell picked and play for England twice, to have Jags and Baines picked and perform well for England…

“To sign Felli, but not only to sign Felli, to see his obvious joy at the fact that all the negotiations are over – they have taken a long time – but they are over and to hear him say that we are a Club moving forward and we are a Club with a lot of youth around us – for a Chairman to hear those things has to be important, and that has to be fulfilling.”